Contact operating device



May 27, 19 A. M. SKELLETI' CONTACT OPERATING DEVICE Filed Oct. 4, 1939 FIG.

FIG. 4

INVENTOR ,4, M SKKLLETT ATTORNEY Jamil- 27, 194i 4 --UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IIhEIZIMQIIUIIIk ammeaunsuummsiv nan-l. (curs-cm Ithaieatureofthepresentinventiontopmvldesswitchingforoperatingccntactsineomprisingaflml Another feature is an arrangement whereby momentary e magnetic iielrb may be produced across the axis in parallel with succeedingvesselstoactmtetheeontactsinsaid succeedingvessels.

Anotherfeatureisthepromionofmeamtor caulng the rotating magnetic held across the asistoactuatethecontactsoi'succeedingvesels once only for each revolution.

Another feature is an t whereby a plurality of units containing contacts of mag- It. 1 shows an arrangement of applicant's inversion for operating contacts in vessels in sucramedforhunflng.

the lead II will therefore be connected to individual leads for the succeeding tubes thus these units will act as a selector switch. use these connections to be made, the units surrounded by two pairs 01 coils placed at angle to each other, the coils in one set marked I! and I3 and the others are marked and It. These coils are wound on a common core structure It so that when either one of egagar giaed, flux will flow between the pole-pieces Hi This flux will be directed to cause contact in the units 1 to 10 to be operated depending on the relative strength of the two fields. If coils l2 and it are connected to an alternating current source such as 21 and the coils it and II are connected to the alternating current source 22, and if these currents are degrees apart in regard to their .phase, it is evident that the two magnetic fields varying in strength will establish a composite magnetic field of a maximum strength that will rotate around the axis of the units. This field will be directed across the axis in one direction for one half of each revolution and in the opposite direction for the other half of each revolution. Consequently the contacts in succeeding units will be closed twice for each revolution. The alternating current sources II and 22 may be so adjusted that the closed period of the contacts in each unit will merely extend over a few degrees of travel of the field and open for the remainder of the period of travel of the field during each revolution.

If an additiaial alternating current source such as 25 is provided with an induction winding 26 and windings i1 and 1. are Placed in the circuits from the alternating current sources 21 and 22, these currents from the sources II and I! may be modulated by a higher frequency trom source 25 which may occur at such time intervals when the field would be in any direction between two adjacent units to cause this magnetic field to entirely disappear at these periods Thiswillinsure thatapreceding actuated unit would be completely deenergized before the unit becomes energized.

If it is desired that the connection between the contacts in each imit should only occur once during a complete revolution of the field, a permanmtmagnetflsuchasisshowninl lgj maybeplacedalongsldeeachunitso thatforone direcflonoithefielditisopposedby thepermanentmagnetfieldandintheotheritisaided by the permanent magnet field. Consequently when the field is opposed by the permanent magnet field of magnet 29, no connection between the contactsotaimitwillbeestablished. Ifitisnot desirable to provide a special permanent magnet like 2! for each unit, the contacts of each unit may be given permanent magnetization somewhat lessthanthatnecesarytomakethecontact self-closing. Thus with the field in one direction, the magnetic field of the contacts would oppose it and with the field in the opposite direction the magnetic field of the contacts will aid it and in thismannerthecontactsineachunit maybe arranged to close only once for each revolution of the field.

Fig. 3 illustrates how a plurality of units may be laid parallel to each other in each position. For example, tubes II and II may be laid alongside eaoh other in parallel in one direction, and the threepairs'oitubes 32, I3 and I may be similarly placed in succeeding directions. In ts of this sort, therefore, two connectionswillbemadethroughapairoitubesfor each position of the field.

Fig. 4 shows an arrangement whereby the controlovertheactuationof theunitsistobeexercisedbyasteppingrelay. Coilsarrangedin withthoseshowninFlg. lmaybe by a direct current and tapped through the pulsing contacts of a stepping relay such as iiandspecialcontrolunitsarrangedat Ilso thatthefieldmaybeheldinanydesiredpositioneaehtimethesteppingrelayisreleasedand advancedonestepeachtimethestepping relayis operated. Amociated with these special units may be arranged corresponding units such as 38 which operate to establish the desired switchin conncctbns. Adescriptionwillnowbemade of the of the system under control of therelayfl. Thecoilsinthisflgu e have been illustrated atically by straight coil windings, for example, the coils cortothecoils l2 and I3 areillustrated by the straight coil 39, the coils corresponding to coils II and ii are illustrated by the straight coil ll. These coils 3! and ll are employed to hold or look the field produced thereby in any direction as will hereinafter be described. In addition to coils 39 and 40 there is also provided two other sets of coils, for example coil ll, corresponding to coils i2 and ",and coil 42 corresponding to coils i4 and il. These latter coils are employed to rotate the field produced thereby into succeeding positions as will hereinafter be described. It should be understood that all oi these coilswillbearrangedlikethecoils'shown in Fig. 1 to control the rotation and locking of the field under the direction of relay 3!.

If it is assumed, to start the system to operate, that a connection is established between the contact in the special unit 43, a circuit will be completed from battery through a portion of the winding oi coil 39, contacts of unit 48, a portion of the winding of coil ll, contact of relay 3. and ground. The coils II and 40 are thereby energizedtoproduceafieldinthedirectioninwhich the unit 48 is placed. This field would therefore be held or locked in its established first position as long as the connection to ground at relay I! ismaintained. Astheunitllislocatcdinthc samedirectionasunitflthisfieldwillalso cause a connection between the contacts in this unit to be established. This has no immediate effect. However, when the relay :0 is first operatedinresponsetothefirstimpulseitwillbe noted that a circuit will be established from battery through a portion of the winding of coil 4|, the contacts of unit 44 to ground at the contacts of relay 36. The field is thereby shifted into a second position in the direction of the units I and 46 and thus connections through the contacts of these two units will be established and connections through units 43 and 44 will be opened due to the shifting of the field. It should be mentioned here that the connection through unit 44 is somewhat slow in opening for a purpose as will hereinafter become apparent. Shortly thereafter this first pulse ceases and the stepping relay it releases. A circuit will now be closed through the contacts of unit 45 from battery, a portion of the winding of coil 38, contacts of unit I to ground at the contacts of relay 3'. This will produce a field in the same direction as the field produced by the connection through unit 44 and thusthefieldwillbeheldandlockedinthis second position to wait for a second impulse, that is, the connection through unit 44 being slow to open is maintained long enough to permit the connection through unit 45 to be made to maintain the field locked in this second P tion. The connection through the contacts of unit 4. has no eifect at this time. However, when relay It againoperatesinresponsetoasecondimpulse,a circuit will be. completed from battery through a portion of the winding of coil ll, contacts of unit 45, a portion of the winding of coil 42 to ground and contacts of relay 36. The effect of this will be that the field willbe againshiftedinto athird position in the direction of units l1 and ll. Connection through units 41 and 48 will thereby be established and the connection through units ll and 46 will be opened. The connection through unit4iisslowinopening,thesameasthe connection through unit 44. Shortly thereafter the second impulse ceases and the relay '6 will be released, thus closing a circuit from battery, a portion of the winding of coil 3!, contacts of unit 41, a portion of the winding of coil 40 to ground at contacts of relay 38. This will produce a field in the same direction as the field produced through unit 45 and .thus the field will be held locked in this third position to wait for a third impulse. that is, the connection through unit 46 being slow to open remains long enough to permit the connection through unit 41 to be made to maintain the field in this third position. The connection conductors II.

was 3 thromhcontsctoiunitllpmduoesnoelactat Laminates-mommies. thhtimebutcomssintoplaywhnrdayieh mwlllprisingapluralityolvelelscmtainagain'opsratedinthemannerbcreinbsla'edsingcontacboi' mteriaisaidvessels scribedinconnecflonwiththeprecedhgmit scrossaccmmon Consequently, the fieldwiliberotatedonsstep I twosetsoi'ooilsarramedstrightanglsstoeach mentimerelayflisoperatedandicchedcach othaandalsociated saidvesselsanaltertimsitisreleasedandacontrolovertherotation natingcunentsunceior manee. andlockingoi'thefieldmaytheretorebecxerimcnrrentinesehsetoicoilasaid cisedyysteppingmngnetunsdmflbed. meritsbeingilodegreesoutotphasewitheach m arrangement may be used in selecting i othss-toprodueeamtatingmagneuefieldacmss connectinsinsccordancewithdigitdialedtor saidaxistoactmtetheoontsctsinsucceeding example,therelayllwillsteptoshiitconnecmmelnafm'mlflnglfld'fltflmflng tionsovertheregularunitssuchastbemipil cumentstoreducethemagnetiefieldproducsd Ititisdesiredtoapplythiskindotsystem illustrated mm. 4 to ahunting arrangement torelayllinPig.4exceptthatitwillbecontrolled to operate and release from the buzzer circuit through battery I! when a key N is closed. As relay '2 is operated and released, it causes the field to be rotated by the closing and opening of the connection at its armature over leads" and I! which correspond to the pulsing leads for relay II in Fig. 4. However, it should be noted that at each position oi units as illustrated in this figure, there are two units at each position connected through common conductors I! for the establishing 01' a tip and ring connection as in a regular selector switch and an additional tube II in each position one end of which is connected to one side of the winding of relay l2. Normally, ii this corresponds to the sleeve connection as in a selector. when connections are established through these units ll nothing occurs to prevent the continued operation and release of relay H but when a ground occurs on the connection established through any one of these tubes. the relay I2 will be short-circuited and consequently its alternate operation and release functions and the field will be locked in the last position to maintain the connection. It is therefore seen that complete control over the operation 01' the units may be established either by a pulsing relay such as or by a hunting action as illustrated in Fig. 5.

What is claimed is:

1. A mechanism for operating contacts in succession comprising a plurality of vessels containing contacts or magnetic materials, said vessels being arranged spirally across a common axis, and means ior producing a rotating magnetic field across said axis to actuate the contacts in succeeding vessels.

2. A mechanism for operating contacts in succession comprising a plurality 01' sets of contacts oi magnetic material, said sets being arranged spirally across a common axis, two sets oi coils arranged at right angles to each other and associated with said contact sets, and means for energizing said coils to produce a rotating magnetic field across said axis to actuate the contacts of succeeding sets.

3. A mechanism ior operating contacts in suecession comprising a plurality of vessels containing contacts of magnetic material, said vessels being arranged spirally across a common axis, and means for producing momentary succeeding magnetic fields across said axis in parallel with succeeding vessels to actuate the contacts in said succeeding vessels.

p lly ceasion same direction as the magnetic field oi the contacts and for preventing the actuation of the contacts or said vwels when the direction of the magnetic field is opposed by the magnetic field in the contacts.

8. A mechanism for operating groups of contacts in succession comprising groups of tubes, each tube containing a set of contacts of magnetic material, the tubes in each group being arranged in parallel relation to each other and the across said axis that actuates all the contacts in each group of tubes with one group succeeding another,

9. A mechanism for operatin groups of contacts in succession comprising groups oi air-tight vessels, each vesel containing a set of contacts 01' magnetic material, the vessels in each group being arranged in parallel relation to each other and adjacent each other in a plane parallel to a common axis, said groups being also arranged across said axis, two groups of coils arranged at right angles to each other around said axis, and means for energizing said coils to produce a rotating magnetic field acres said axis for operating all the contacts in each group of vessels with one group succeeding another.

10. In a mechanism for operating contacts in succession, a plurality of sets of contacts of magnetic material arranged spirally across a common axis, a stepping relay, means responsive to the operation of said stepping relay for producing a magnetic field for operating the contacts of said sets in succession, one set of contacts being operated for each succeeding step of said relay.

11. In a mechanism for operating contacts in succession, a plurality oi! air-tight vessels containing contacts of magnetic material arranged spirally across a common axis, a stepping relay, coils grouped around said axis, means controlled by the operation and release of said relay ifor actuating said coils to operate thecontacts of one vessel after another, one set of contacts being operated during the release of said relay.

12. In a mechanism for operating contacts in succession, a plurality of air-tight vessels containing contacts of magnetic material arranged spirally across a common axis, a stepping relay, coils grouped. around said axis, means including other air-tight vessels containing contacts of magnetic material controlled by the operation of said relay for actuating portions of said coils through succeeding closed connections through contacts of said last-mentioned vessels for operating the contacts of said first-mentioned vessels in succession, one set of contacts being operated each time said relay is released.

13. In a. mechanism for operating contacts in succession, a plurality of air-tight vessels containing contacts of magnetic material arranged spirally across a common axis, a relay, a selfinterrupting circuit tor said relay, means controlled by said relay when it operates and releases for producing a rotating magnetic field for operating the contacts of said vessels in succession, and means for stopping the operation of said seltinterrupting circuit to permit said magnetic field to remain in any operated position.

14. A mechanism for operating contacts in succession comprising a plurality of air-tight vessels containing contacts of magnetic material,

said vessels being arranged spirally acros a common axis, means for producing a rotating magnetic fleld across said axis for actuating the contacts of succeeding vessels, and means for counteracting said fleld for one half oi each revolution to prevent it from actuating the contacts of succeeding vessels more-than once for each revolution.

15. In a mechanism for operating contacts in succession, sets of air-tight vessels containing contacts of magnetic material, said sets arranged spirally across a common axis, a relay, a selfinterrupting circuit for said relay, means controlled by said relay when it operates and releases for producing a rotating magnetic field for operating the contacts of the set of vessels in succession and means operative at any angular position of the field when it has actuated the contacts of the set of vessels at said position for short-circuiting the self-interrupting circuit to stop the operation of the relay so that said field will remain at said angular position to maintain the contacts of the set at this position operated.

ALBERT M. SKELLETT. 

